It´s been another disappointing year for the hard-pressed chemical fiber foreign trade sector. China´s imports and exports of chemical fiber products saw a continued decline in the first four month from a year earlier. Included were 2.27 billion dollars from imports, down 15.41 percent; and 17.84 billion dollars from exports, down 6.31 percent.

Material imports slump

Synthetic fiber imports volume showed a two-digit decrease in the first four months from the year-earlier period, and imports price also showed a 20-60% decrease. Included were 756.31 million dollars from Korea, down 24.91 percent; 400.39 million dollars from Taiwan, down 36.07 percent and 139.11 million dollars from Thailand, down 17.56%.

Man-made fiber imports fell sharply by 18 percent in the first four month from a year earlier. Imports price slumped 35.17 percent. The data of chemical wood pulp is as follow: 422.44 million dollars from Canada, down 26.82 percent; 19.42 million dollars from U.S., down 33.49 percent and 306.22 million dollars from Chile, up 2.25%.

Table1. China´s man-made fiber imports by category in Jan.-Apr. 2009

Source: China Customs

Staple fiber and yarn exports continue to fall

Staple fiber and yarn exports plummeted in the first four months from the year-earlier period, marking a first negative growth since 1999. Take polyester filament yarn for an example: 17.65 million dollars to Ind